EASTER RAIN

                                                                                                                         

Easter is on Sunday April 14th                                                                                                            

        Easter was first introduced on a Friday now known as Good Friday. Forty hours was the time Christ had lain in the tomb. The observance of Easter is a Saxon word which means spring. Easter is always the Sunday after the full moon which happens on or after March 21. By this arrangement Easter may come as early as March 21 or as late as April 14^th. 

      My sister Jocelyn was born in 1938 on Easter Sunday. She met Rain Man at the American Fork Training school when they were sixteen years old. His real name is Darley. My sister and Darley were born more than fifty years ago, on the same day. Darley presently lives in Orem, Utah. 

     Darley was popularized by Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise in the movie Rain Man. Dustin often came to Orem while making the movie. He talked with Darley, so as to be able to help make the movie realistic. He was just a person until Dustin heard about his autistic ability to solve math problems. Dustin, writers, producers, Tom Cruise and others made the movie “Rain Man,” an academy awards winner. The rest is history. Darley became very wealthy from the success of the movie. He is often on talk shows, and other public appearances mostly to educate and raise money for autistic people. He recently stated, “As diagnoses of autism rise, a growing number of family are grappling with the worry and expense of finding treatment and special education for children with the complex developmental disorder. We are pressing employers and legislators for help. An estimated one in 110 children is diagnosed with autism, and its prevalence is increasing for reasons that aren’t well understood. Average medical expenditures for those with autism-spectrum disorder exceed those without by about $5,000.00 per ear.” 

       Unlike the movie Darley is still in his wheel chair unable to walk. He plans to be with Dustin for a big 50 year birth day celebration in Orem on Easter. My sister Jocelyn Hickenlooper won’t be at the celebration as she is in heaven.  

To be continued ...

Author Karl Wallace  

Read more Karl Wallace short stores go to: drkarlwallace@gmail.com